Aero RV Belly Pan(s)

[ausias]

The Volkswagen Audi Group (VAG) mounts a golf ball like belly pans like LONG FIBRE PP COMPOUNDS DRIVE AUTOMOTIVE INNOVATION or VWVortex.com - 3.2 belly pan on the 2.0t
The drag reduction is because aerodynamics of turbulence and laminar flows thanks to wake reduction.
These belly pans are used in my car underbody Seat Leon but also in Volkswagen Golf (GTI, Rabbit,...), Skoda Octavia and Audi A3 (technologycally the same car).

[orbywan]

Originally Posted by ausias

The Volkswagen Audi Group (VAG) mounts a golf ball like belly pans like www2_amiplastics_com/PressReleases/newsitem.aspx?item=1000154 or forums_vwvortex_com/showthread.php?5150424-3.2-belly-pan-on-the-2.0t&p=73203565
The drag reduction is because aerodynamics of turbulence and laminar flows thanks to wake reduction.
These belly pans are used in my car underbody Seat Leon but also in Volkswagen Golf (GTI, Rabbit,...), Skoda Octavia and Audi A3 (technologycally the same car).

Thanks for the link ausias, the golf ball indentations are interesting. It's too bad someone doesn't make coroplast, or something, with the golf ball indentations on it, they'd be selling a lot to people on this site.

[Sven7]

Yeah, their yearly profits might break $300! :P

PS- ausias, your links don't work for me.

[Otto]

Originally Posted by orbywan

Thanks for the link ausias, the golf ball indentations are interesting. It's too bad someone doesn't make coroplast, or something, with the golf ball indentations on it, they'd be selling a lot to people on this site.

Maybe could make your own indentations on coroplast, using hot ball bearings or a ball peen hammer? Zigzag tape would be easier, and used on high performance sailplanes as turbulators to keep the boundary layer attached. Can make your own with pinking shears.

I have questions about whether, in the grand scheme of things, such would really help. (effort better spent on wheel fairings, etc.)

[orbywan]

Originally Posted by Sven7

Yeah, their yearly profits might break $300! :P

Probably true.

PS- ausias, your links don't work for me.

Try [URL="http://www2.amiplastics.com/PressReleases/newsitem.aspx?item=1000154"]

So much for posting a link you can click on. I'll figure it out someday.

[Sven7]

Originally Posted by orbywan

Probably true.



Try this

So much for posting a link you can click on. I'll figure it out someday.

Just use the button in the reply window

You got half of it- just add "this[/url]" on the end

That underbody stuff looks like a tiny version of air tabs!

[orbywan]

Originally Posted by Otto

I have questions about whether, in the grand scheme of things, such would really help. (effort better spent on wheel fairings, etc.)

Also true. According to what I've read it's better than flat, but I'm not going to change it, too much other stuff more pressing.

[orbywan]

Originally Posted by Sven7

Just use the button in the reply window

You got half of it- just add "this[/url]" on the end

That underbody stuff looks like a tiny version of air tabs!

LONG FIBRE PP COMPOUNDS DRIVE AUTOMOTIVE INNOVATION

You mean like that?
What do you know, learn something new every day. Thanks.

[orbywan]

Here is the latest in the addition of the hitch and dropping the floor of the boat tail down to a more optimal slope to get the air flowing better. Since the addition of the boat tail was a great boost to mpg it’s definitely staying. Since it is staying the next job is to extend the hitch so I can tow toys and the tow vehicle when we travel.

Since the boat tail extends back about four feet, that means if I want to leave the basic configuration of the boat tail as is, the hitch receiver needs to be extended back about 3 feet. If you can imagine holding 3,000 pounds at arms length, that’s a pretty good idea of how serious it is to extend a hitch that far.

As you can see by what my friends have referred to as the ‘horizontal Eiffel Tower’, some equally serious thought and engineering went into it. Time will tell how it does, but I’m confident it is up to the task and then some.

The good part of the design is that when I’m not towing, the lower part of the hitch is removable in ten minutes or less. Once it is removed and the lower cover installed, the remaining hitch structure is completely out of the air stream. The other advantage is that the remaining superstructure has two additional beneficial features. The first is it acts as a super heavy-duty floor for the boat tail area, so I can take advantage of all that space back there. The second advantage is that if I have a tail strike, the superstructure is about a half inch above the lower cover in the center so it will help absorb whatever impact might occur, hopefully saving the frame of the boat tail in the process.

Next is re-skinning it with coroplast, building the lower covers, one for without the hitch, one for with the hitch, and extending the hitch wiring. Oh yeah, and finishing out the door I fabbed in the middle so I can get to this area easily. The fun never stops. : )

[slowmover]

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